Auras. The embodiment of one’s soul. A power that can only be used by a certain few with an iron will. They grant the user an unique ability that personifies what they are. Some use it for good, others use it for their own gain.

The underworld of this country has always been vast, too vast. Like a gigantic black hole that always crept under it’s citizens. This city, the capital, has had it the roughest. Strong leaders who were praised as gods ran freely. Whether it was dealing drugs, giving guns to smaller gangs, because those weapons were a rarity, extortion or assassination. It was all too common.

A certain man hated these gods even more than anyone else. A fire that was always blazing inside him had only worsened the past few years. There was a job to be done, and he was all too willing to execute it. 

A pounding heart echoed throughout the silent appartment, not because of nervousness, but because of excitement.  A bland wooden white mask was being put on. This masked man was known as the vigilante Ray. He’s been doing this for two years now, and this was his second big bust.

'This will help me get even closer to finding out about those damn gods.’  is what he thought to himself.

Bitterness and anger are what drove the vigilante, alongside a gigantic conviction of his own justice. He felt like law enforcement had done nothing about these scum, so he took it upon himself to expose these monsters.

Now that the mask was put on, a single object remained on his table, before he could do tonight’s job.

A katana that was sheathed. This was Ray’s good luck charm. A beautiful deep red base accompanied it’s pale blue sheath. This katana was special to the vigilante.

Before he left the appartment, he looked at a polaroid of himself, a girl smiling with her eyes closed, holding up two peace signs, and a boy with a cut on his left eyebrow cockily smiling.

It was a quiet night, the moon wasn't obscured by any clouds. While walking towards his destination, his eyes frantically shifted into every alleyway he passed, a habit that had developed a few years ago.

This city existed of multiple layers, each one with their own distinct cultures. The top layer was where most of the really rich people lived. A spot where most below it always looked up to with envy: Eden.

The middle and lower layer had no name attached to them, but they had roads that all led upwards towards the upper layer. Ray lived in the middle-layer, while those of poorer upbringing spent their time in the lowest layer. 

As the man stood at the fence of a seemingly innocous one-story building that was located in the middle layer, the moonlight gracefully embraced it’s crappy brown outside. After climbing over the fence and walking towards a window, the sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the neighbouring area, but no one seemed to care. Ray quickly entered through the newly created entrance. 

“Come on, come on. Where the hell is it."

“Found it!” he picked up a strange cylindrical object. Within it were papers hidden. They detailed transactions between a man named “shi” and several other people of interest. Although some of their names were crossed or blacked out.”

“Dammit. He took safety measures, ah well, this might make his crimes go public.” Ray planted pictures throughout the office of all the crimes that Shi has done. These were pictures he himself had taken over the past few months.

Shi had evidence against him that proves he aided in trafficking and extortion. His public persona was that of a caring business owner, but Ray has known of his true nature for months now.

As Ray tried to leave the building via the entrance he created, he heard the sound of a lot of cars stopping at the front entrance. Doors being opened and slam shut echoed throughout the empty streets.  Lights from flashlights which swifted through both the front and the back of the building searching for the vigilante, and one of the cops found the makeshift entrance.

“I gotcha now, ray!” A woman with a coat hanging on her shoulders shouted.
“You gotta be- Fari?! Why now?!”

Fari Heir. She’s a police chief that the force called a "once in a lifetime" prodigy. She’s been chasing Ray ever since he started.Her belief is that of true justice, which caused her to clash with the vigilante's less than savory ways.

“My men got you surrounded! Come out!” She shouted. 
Ray wasn’t going to do that, however. He heard 3 people kick down the hallway door. He knew that Fari always had a squad of 5 people with her, including herself. He always laughed at how little it was.

With the opening of the door to Shi’s office, Ray was face to face with 3 officers. They were all wearing a badge that indicated they were from Fari's squad. The badge resembled the face of a bunny.
“Come on man. You’ve been pissing off Fari for a while now. Give it a rest.” One officer groaned.
Ray slowly raised his hands. 
“Thank go-“
And then a small object dropped from under his shirt. A smokebomb. It instantly went off.
“Goddamit!” The same officer said.
“Sorry! But you’re not catching me.” Ray swiftly maneuvered through the smoke, evading all 3 officers.
“Miss, he’s escaping again!” One of the officers said via the pager.
“Tch. Rick, you’re up.”
“Sure thing, madam.”

Ray stood in front of the building, face to face with only Rick and Fari. Rick was easily 2 heads taller than him. But Ray knew that this was a situation that could be escaped. Fari suddenly pulled out a megaphone. Rick put in earplugs. Ray stood there very confused.

And then, a blue-ish aura began enveloping Fari’s entire body, her green hair slowly beginning to float, before manifesting completely above her. It looked like a large, white-robed lady wearing a red bandana.

While it’s face seemed obscured by one of it’s hands, a smile could be seen throughout it’s fingers. The lady also  had bunny ears. In front of it was a giant chessboard with only 3 pieces on it. A queen and two pawns.

[INVIGORATE HIM. THE STRATEGIST.]

With a click and a deep breath, Fari shouted into the megaphone. Her aura moved one of the pawns closer to the opposite pawn.

“RELEASE YOUR LIMITERS, RICK, SO THE STRATEGIST SAYS.”

“Yes ma’am!” Rick shouted, and with the sound of a chain being broken, a blue glow surrounded him, his hair waved upwards, even though there was no wind. A smile appeared on his face as he sprinted at Ray with immense speed.

Ray was even more confused, he didn’t know that Fari had an aura. This spelled big trouble for the auraless vigilante.

Rick stood in front of Ray, throwing out a right straight. Barely dodging it, Ray could feel the power coming off his opponent. The only thing that Ray could rely on were his inhuman reflexes.

He placed his hand on the handle of the katana that he had sheathed on his hip. Within a split second, he made the decision to not use the katana, but the sheath itself.

Ray has never used his actual katana in combat, only using it’s sheathe as a blunt force weapon to get out of sticky situations.

Thud

The sheath hit Rick's stomach, A lot of force was put behind the blow, causing him to stumble backwards.

But even with that audible thud, it still felt like Ray was hitting against a brick wall. Rick swiped under his nose and took a stance that resembled that of a kung-fu fighter.

Ray accepted his challenge and also assumed a stance, one that closely resembled what is normally used for Aikido.

Fari sat behind them holding a small pocket watch. The strategist had a very limited active time which can last longer the more a person's limiter gets released, but for Rick, it had only happened twice before.

10 seconds remaining

Rick threw out very fast punches at Ray, who tried dodging them but instead got hit by a right kick to the side afterwards.

Ray was playing defensive while dodging everything, not knowing that Rick was on a tight timer, he was looking for a way to escape. The plan was to eventually floor him and then book it.

5 seconds remaining

Another punch aimed at his chest was dodged and Ray took this oppurtunity to firmly grasp Rick’s right arm and slam him to the ground.

Rick rolled backwards and bounced right back up again, winding up for a flying kick to hit Ray with. But right before he could jump up, the blue aura surrounding him dissapeared.

Baffled silence surrounded the area, Fari sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose; Rick scratched the back of his head, turning towards her.

“Ah, sorry Fa!”
“KEEP YOUR EYES ON HIM FOR F-“

But Ray had already taken the oppurtunity to sprint off. He left his personalised card for Fari. There wasn't anything special on it, except for a crudely drawn smiley face on it.

“Another succesful mission!” 

Ray smiled to himself as he ran through his escape route into the city that was still sleeping.  
After he came home to his appartment, the laughter wouldn’t stop. The fight, the escape, this is what made him feel alive. Dishing his own justice out fanned the flame within him every time. After putting his mask and katana back on the wall, and taking out his lenses, he promptly fell asleep on the couch due to very sudden fatigue.

But the next day would forever change the life of not only Ray, but Fari and Rick too. It was on the news everywhere. No one could escape it.

MURDERED! FAMOUS AND BELOVED OWNER SHI FOUND DEAD

The corrupt bussiness owner’s body was found lifeless in his office at 8 AM, the cause of death were slashing and stabbing wounds, presumably from a katana. Everywhere, Ray’s masked picture was displayed. It was taken while he was in Shi’s office, unbeknownst to the vigilante. No one knew who he truly was, but everyone knew what he was.

A murderer.

“Wait, No! This can’t be real!” Fari shouted at her squad. “He was a nuisance to us, but even I know he wouldn’t steep this low. I’m going to talk to the chief about this!”
But that talk turned out fruitless. Fari was only met with silent stares and a cash of money in front of her. She never talked about this again, disgusted by it all. Everyone in that force was bribed, the only one who didn't accept the bribe was her group, but even they slowly disintegrated due to the constant pressure of the higher ups. She locked herself up in her office for years to come, only indulging in even more detective work; The incident left a deep scar for the police prodigy.

Rick felt frustrated too, swearing loyalty to protect Fari. If someone bribed the force, it would only be a matter of time before Fari overstepped boundaries and be a target of elimination too. He couldn't let that happen, he wouldn't let that happen.

As for Ray, the vigilante was never heard from again. Even though he knew that he didn’t do it. But the whole situation left an awful taste in his mouth. He was framed, with a very clear message aimed towards him. "Stop disrupting our business." 
Instead of fighting back, he simply gave up. That anger, bitterness, and sense of justice were shattered. The fire had been put out. To continue would be to die. And he couldn't die, not until a promise was fulfilled. A vow that was screamed from the top of his lungs.

Six years passed, and the public had forgotten about the vigilante. The beeping of an alarm screeched throughout the appartment.

To be continued